Outline of Virginia Virginia State Profile

 
  • Licensing: Changes in 2005 to Virginia’s licensed child day care center standards and in 2006 to the Drug Control Act require that any provider administering medication to children receive training taught by an RN, LPN, physician, or pharmacist.
  • Funding: Virginia’s child care health consultants (CCHCs) are paid through combining Title V funding with provider fees.
  • Auspices: CCHCs are deployed through the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). There are also CCHCs in Virginia who work through the private sector.
  • CCHC Role: The changes to Virginia’s licensing standards fueled a new focus and demand for CCHC services in the state. In response, Healthy Child Care Virginia (HCCV) designed and distributed to trainers a PowerPoint guide to Phase I of a three-phase Medication Administration Training. Phase I is a basic overview of medication administration. Consultants support providers with training and technical assistance (T/TA) on a wide range of topics both onsite and via telephone consultation.
  • CCHC Training: Nine consultants completed training through the National Training Institute for Child Care Health Consultants (NTI), and HCCV has since trained over 300 CCHCs. VDH provides annual consultant training to meet the growing demand for CCHCs, and it also supports its CCHCs via an annual videoconference meeting.
  • Website: The Early Childhood Health website includes information about CCHC services, a phone number for providers seeking CCHCs, and resources and information about training opportunities for potential CCHCs.

History and Development

Since 2001, HCCV and VDH have trained and deployed CCHCs to partner with local early care and education (ECE) providers. HCCV was easily integrated into the state Early Childhood Comprehensive System (ECCS) plan because the director of VDH’s HCCV and Early Childhood Health programs became the ECCS director. The director continues to provide support to CCHCs throughout Virginia and oversees HCCV’s annual health consultant trainings and meetings.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

  • Systems Integration: To build a successful CCHC infrastructure, Virginia found that it is critical to integrate its relevant systems. State agencies (Education, Social Services) and providers (family and center-based child care, Head Start, faith-based, for-profit, non-profit) must build the network together, ensuring acceptance at all levels.
  • Sustainability: Developing a strong CCHC network takes commitment of both time and money. Programs take five to 10 years to obtain measurable outcomes that convince public and private funders that they are having an impact.
  • Effective Training: Training must balance technology with the need for human contact. VDH has had to think creatively to deliver effective training with limited resources. Programs must have some contact with trainees, but must also use distance learning technology to maximize their outreach.

Ingredients for Success

  • Official Recognition and Visibility: Child care health consulting is incorporated as a working subcommittee under the VDH Nursing Council, enhancing the sustainability of the public health system and increasing the visibility of CCHCs.
  • Partnerships: Through a partnership with the Department of Social Services, VDH’s Department of Immunization, and Project Immunization Virginia, CCHCs work with child care providers to ensure that the children in their care receive complete immunizations.
  • Advocacy: The ECCS director serves on the Governor’s Day Care Council, which promulgated revisions to Virginia’s licensed child day care center standards that require providers to enlist CCHC expertise.

Moving Forward

  • Website Expansion: VDH is building the Early Childhood Health website as a resource for CCHCs and child care providers. The site includes links to CCHC training curricula, and it will also provide resources such as data and statistics, publications, funding opportunities, and links to other organizations that support the goals of CCHCs.
  • Provider Training: VDH will continue to design and implement its provider training. Phase II of the Medication Administration Training, complete by June 2007, is a competency-based curriculum requiring providers to pass a skills and knowledge test. By 2008, Phase III will provide annual Web-based course updates, with CEU credit available.
  • Distance Learning: VDH is exploring the use of interactive distance learning to deliver CCHC training, enabling the department to reach a wider audience while minimizing travel. These trainings will also help consultants identify local resources for themselves and for providers.

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Information as of August 2007